Generating testcases based on numbers of testcases previously generated

ABSTRACT

A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium that, in an embodiment, receive elements and a goal for each of the elements. In various embodiments, the elements may represent commands or parameter values for a device to be tested. Testcases are generated based on the elements. If the numbers of testcases for the elements are equally distant from their goals, then a new testcase is generated based on an element chosen at random. But, if the numbers of testcases are not equally distant from their goals, then the new testcase is generated based on the element whose number of testcases if furthest from its respective goal. The number of testcases associated with the chosen element is then incremented, and the process is repeated. In this way, the generated testcases are based on the numbers of previously generated testcases, which, in an embodiment, results in more complete coverage of testcases for the device under test.

FIELD

This invention generally relates to verification of a hardware orsoftware design and more specifically relates to generating testcasesbased on the numbers of testcases previously generated.

BACKGROUND

The development of the EDVAC computer system of 1948 is often cited asthe beginning of the computer era. Since that time, computer systemshave evolved into extremely sophisticated devices that may be found inmany different settings. Computer systems typically include acombination of hardware (e.g., semiconductors, integrated circuits,circuit boards, etc.) and software (e.g., computer programs).

The typical design methodology for integrated circuit designs—such asvery large scale integrated (VLSI) circuits and application specificintegrated circuits (ASICs)—is conventionally divided into the followingthree stages. First, a design capture step is performed using, forexample, a high-level language synthesis package. Next, designverification is made on the resulting design. This includes simulations,timing analysis, and automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) tools.Finally, there is layout and eventual tape out of the device. The deviceis then tested, and the process may need to be reiterated one or moretimes until the desired design criteria are satisfied.

The design capture step typically involves the specification of a logiccircuit by a designer. A hardware description language (“HDL”) providesthe designer with a mechanism for describing the operation of thedesired logic circuit in a technology-independent manner.

Automated software tools available from companies such as Cadence DesignSystems and Synopsys take an HDL description of the integrated circuit(sometimes referred to as a behavioral or register-transfer-leveldescription) and map it into an equivalent netlist composed of thestandard cells from a selected standard cell library. This process iscommonly known as “synthesis.”

A netlist is a data structure representation of the electronic logicsystem that comprises a set of modules, each of which comprises a datastructure that specifies sub-components and their interconnection. Thenetlist describes the way standard cells and blocks are interconnected.Netlists are typically available in Verilog, EDIF (Electronic DesignInterchange Format), or VHDL (Very High Speed Integrated CircuitHardware Design Language) formats. Other software tools available fromcompanies such as Cadence or Synopsys take a netlist comprised ofstandard cells and create a physical layout of the chip by placing thecells relative to each other to minimize timing delays or wire lengths,and then create electrical connections (or routing) between the cells tophysically complete the desired circuit. Once a netlist has beengenerated from the logic design, silicon compilers, also called placeand route tools, convert the netlist into a semiconductor circuitlayout. The semiconductor circuit layout specifies the physicalimplementation of the circuit in silicon or other semiconductormaterials.

Design verification involves verifying that the logic definition iscorrect, that the circuit implements the function expected by thedesigners, and that the many optimizations and transformationsintroduced during the design process do not alter the intended logicalfunction of the design. Design verification typically occupies a largeportion of the schedule for any chip development cycle. Designverification may involve timing analysis and simulation tools. The datarepresentation in the logic design database may be reformatted as neededprior to use by the timing analysis and simulation tools. The designundergoes design verification analysis in order to detect flaws in thedesign. The design is also analyzed using simulation tools to assess thefunctionality of the design. If errors are found or the resultingfunctionality is unacceptable, the designer modifies the design asneeded. These design iterations help to ensure that the design satisfiesits requirements. Formal verification (property checking) may also beused to prove correct behavior for selected aspects of the design.Formal verification is a technique that models a logic circuit as astate transition system using specifications for components in thesystem.

Another verification method is to generate large numbers of testcases ortest programs. A traditional strategy is to manually write directedtestcases that exercise specified parts of the design and run thosetestcases on a simulator that models the device operation. Writing suchtestcases is very time consuming and lacks random testing, which meanscovering all the legal or valid combinations of stimuli may bedifficult. Also, the testcases written in this way are difficult tomaintain because they lack portability and are vulnerable to any and alldesign changes, which causes significant modifications to the testcasebucket or regression test suite for almost every design change.

Another approach to creating testcases is to use a random testcasegenerator, which is often a script written in any high level language(e.g., C, C++, Perl, etc) that requires the verification engineer toprovide some input as to what type of testcase is required. The testcasegenerator than randomly generates testcases based on the input type.“Type” means the commands, legal or valid ranges, and/or values forvarious parameters that need to be varied/changed in order to test thedesign. The type may be passed to the testcase generator as a file(e.g., a parameter file). The valid commands, parameter ranges, and/orvalues are defined based on the design specification and thedirectedness of the testcases required. This approach, besides providingcomparatively increased random testing, also reduces the time requiredto generate testcase buckets or regression test suites because the jobof the verification engineer is now merely to provide the constraints tothe testcase generator after understanding the design specifications andverification environment. A few handwritten directed testcases may stillbe required to cover specific logic areas of the design.

Although testcase generators can enable testing that is more random andeasier to modify, they still rely on the pseudo-randomness of theparticular testcase generator. This can be a problem, as shown below, byobserving that the testcases generated, even when employing a fairnessalgorithm, are not always as random as the verification engineer wouldhope. That is, a mismatch can occur in the generatedcommands/ranges/values in the testcase versus the expectedcommands/ranges/values.

To understand this mismatch, consider the following example: theverification engineer's objective is to generate a number (“n”)testcases where n/2 should be read testcases and the other n/2 should bewrite testcases. Unfortunately, a testcase generator using an algorithmwith a 50% probability of choosing a read testcase and a 50% probabilityof choosing a write testcase actually has only a 31.25% probability ofgenerating equal number of reads and writes when n=6 and only a 14.44%probability of generating equal numbers of reads and writes when n=30.Hence, relying on a fairness algorithm of the typical testcase generatoris not sufficient to meet the verification engineer's objective.

The calculations that result in the aforementioned 31.25% and 14.44% areas follows. For a sequence of n=6 testcases, each needing to choosebetween two equally probable choices, reads or writes, the totalpossibilities of testcase combinations are 2⁶=64. Out of these 64combinations, the only combinations of interest are the ones that haveexactly 3 reads and 3 writes. Thus, the number of combinations ofinterest is: 6C3=[6!]/[3!×3!]=720/(6×6)=20. Finally, the probability ofgenerating exactly 3 reads and 3 writes is: 20/64×100=31.25%.

Similarly, for a sequence of 30 testcases, each needing to choosebetween two equally probable choices, reads or writes, the totalpossibilities of testcase combinations are 2³⁰=1,073,741,824. Out ofthese 1,073,741,824 combinations, the only combinations of interest arethe ones that have exactly 15 reads and 15 writes. Thus, the number ofcombinations of interest is: 30C15=[30!]/[15!×15!]=155,117,520. Finally,the probability of generating exactly 15 reads and 15 writes is:[155,117,520]/[1,073,741,824]×100=14.44%.

Thus, without a better way to generate testcases, testing of deviceswill continue to suffer with a lack of complete coverage. Although theaforementioned problems have been described in the context of a netlist,they may occur in any type of device under test, whether a simulateddevice, a software program, or a hardware device.

SUMMARY

A method, apparatus, system, and signal-bearing medium are providedthat, in an embodiment, receive elements and a goal for each of theelements. In various embodiments, the elements may represent commands orparameter values for a device to be tested. Testcases are generatedbased on the elements. If the numbers of testcases for the elements areequally distant from their goals, then a new testcase is generated basedon an element chosen at random. But, if the numbers of testcases are notequally distant from their goals, then the new testcase is generatedbased on the element whose number of testcases is furthest from itsrespective goal. The number of testcases associated with the chosenelement is then incremented, and the process is repeated. In this way,the generated testcases are based on the numbers of previously generatedtestcases, which, in an embodiment, results in more complete coverage oftestcases for the device under test.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the present invention are hereinafter describedin conjunction with the appended drawings:

FIG. 1 depicts a high-level block diagram of an example system forimplementing an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of an example data structure for elementdata, according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart of example processing for a testcasegenerator using the element data, according to an embodiment of theinvention.

It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate onlyexample embodiments of the invention, and are therefore not consideredlimiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equallyeffective embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In an embodiment, a testcase generator receives elements and a goal foreach of the elements. The testcase generator generates testcases basedon the elements. If the numbers of testcases for the elements areequally distant from their goals, then a new testcase is generated basedon an element chosen at random. But, if the numbers of testcases are notequally distant from their goals, then the new testcase is generatedbased on the element whose number of testcases is furthest from itsrespective goal. The number of testcases associated with the chosenelement is then incremented, and the process is repeated. In this way,the generated testcases are based on the numbers of previously generatedtestcases, which, in an embodiment, results in more complete coverage oftestcases for the device to be tested using the testcases.

Referring to the Drawings, wherein like numbers denote like partsthroughout the several views, FIG. 1 depicts a high-level block diagramrepresentation of a computer system 100 connected to a network 130,according to an embodiment of the present invention. In an embodiment,the hardware components of the computer system 100 may be implemented byan IBM eServer iSeries computer system. However, those skilled in theart will appreciate that the mechanisms and apparatus of embodiments ofthe present invention apply equally to any appropriate computing system.

The major components of the computer system 100 include one or moreprocessors 101, a main memory 102, a terminal interface 111, a storageinterface 112, an I/O (Input/Output) device interface 113, andcommunications/network interfaces 114, all of which are coupled forinter-component communication via a memory bus 103, an I/O bus 104, andan I/O bus interface unit 105.

The computer system 100 contains one or more general-purposeprogrammable central processing units (CPUs) 101A, 101B, 101C, and 101D,herein generically referred to as the processor 101. In an embodiment,the computer system 100 contains multiple processors typical of arelatively large system; however, in another embodiment the computersystem 100 may alternatively be a single CPU system. Each processor 101executes instructions stored in the main memory 102 and may include oneor more levels of on-board cache.

The main memory 102 is a random-access semiconductor memory for storingdata and programs. In another embodiment, the main memory 102 representsthe entire virtual memory of the computer system 100, and may alsoinclude the virtual memory of other computer systems coupled to thecomputer system 100 or connected via the network 130. The main memory102 is conceptually a single monolithic entity, but in other embodimentsthe main memory 102 is a more complex arrangement, such as a hierarchyof caches and other memory devices. For example, memory may exist inmultiple levels of caches, and these caches may be further divided byfunction, so that one cache holds instructions while another holdsnon-instruction data, which is used by the processor or processors.Memory may be further distributed and associated with different CPUs orsets of CPUs, as is known in any of various so-called non-uniform memoryaccess (NUMA) computer architectures.

The memory 102 includes a device under test 170, element data 171, and atestcase generator 172. Although the device under test 170, the elementdata 171, and the testcase generator 172 are illustrated as beingcontained within the memory 102 in the computer system 100, in otherembodiments some or all of them may be on different computer systems andmay be accessed remotely, e.g., via the network 130. The computer system100 may use virtual addressing mechanisms that allow the programs of thecomputer system 100 to behave as if they only have access to a large,single storage entity instead of access to multiple, smaller storageentities. Thus, while the device under test 170, the element data 171,and the testcase generator 172 are illustrated as being contained withinthe main memory 102, these elements are not necessarily all completelycontained in the same storage device at the same time.

Further, although the device under test 170, the element data 171, andthe testcase generator 172 are illustrated as being separate entities,in other embodiments some of them, or portions of some of them, may bepackaged together. For example, in an embodiment, the element data 171and the testcase generator 172 may be packaged together.

The device under test 170 may be represented as a netlist or any otherappropriate format or data simulation of a circuit, chip, card, or otherhardware device. In another embodiment, the device under test 170 may besoftware program including instructions capable of executing on aprocessor, e.g., the processor 101, or statements capable of beinginterpreted by code that executes on a processor, e.g., the processor101. Although the device under test 170 is illustrated as beingcontained in the memory 102, in another embodiment, the device undertest 170 may be a physical hardware device that is connected to thetestcase generator 172 via the system I/O bus 104, a cable, or otherhardware mechanism.

The element data 171 is a data structure used by the testcase generator172 to generate testcases for the device under test 170. The elementdata 171 is further described below with reference to FIG. 2.

In an embodiment, the testcase generator 172 includes instructionscapable of executing on the processor 101 or statements capable of beinginterpreted by instructions executing on the processor 101 to performthe functions as further described below with reference to FIG. 3. Inanother embodiment, the testcase generator 172 may be implemented inmicrocode. In another embodiment, the testcase generator 172 may beimplemented in hardware via logic gates and/or other appropriatehardware techniques.

The memory bus 103 provides a data communication path for transferringdata among the processor 101, the main memory 102, and the I/O businterface unit 105. The I/O bus interface unit 105 is further coupled tothe system I/O bus 104 for transferring data to and from the various I/Ounits. The I/O bus interface unit 105 communicates with multiple I/Ointerface units 111, 112, 113, and 114, which are also known as I/Oprocessors (IOPs) or I/O adapters (IOAs), through the system I/O bus104. The system I/O bus 104 may be, e.g., an industry standard PCI bus,or any other appropriate bus technology.

The I/O interface units support communication with a variety of storageand I/O devices. For example, the terminal interface unit 111 supportsthe attachment of one or more user terminals 121, 122, 123, and 124. Thestorage interface unit 112 supports the attachment of one or more directaccess storage devices (DASD) 125, 126, and 127 (which are typicallyrotating magnetic disk drive storage devices, although they couldalternatively be other devices, including arrays of disk drivesconfigured to appear as a single large storage device to a host). Thecontents of the main memory 102 may be stored to and retrieved from thedirect access storage devices 125, 126, and 127.

The I/O and other device interface 113 provides an interface to any ofvarious other input/output devices or devices of other types. Two suchdevices, the printer 128 and the fax machine 129, are shown in theexemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, but in other embodiment many other suchdevices may exist, which may be of differing types. The networkinterface 114 provides one or more communications paths from thecomputer system 100 to other digital devices and computer systems; suchpaths may include, e.g., one or more networks 130.

Although the memory bus 103 is shown in FIG. 1 as a relatively simple,single bus structure providing a direct communication path among theprocessors 101, the main memory 102, and the I/O bus interface 105, infact the memory bus 103 may comprise multiple different buses orcommunication paths, which may be arranged in any of various forms, suchas point-to-point links in hierarchical, star or web configurations,multiple hierarchical buses, parallel and redundant paths, or any otherappropriate type of configuration. Furthermore, while the I/O businterface 105 and the I/O bus 104 are shown as single respective units,the computer system 100 may in fact contain multiple I/O bus interfaceunits 105 and/or multiple I/O buses 104. While multiple I/O interfaceunits are shown, which separate the system I/O bus 104 from variouscommunications paths running to the various I/O devices, in otherembodiments some or all of the I/O devices are connected directly to oneor more system I/O buses.

The computer system 100 depicted in FIG. 1 has multiple attachedterminals 121, 122, 123, and 124, such as might be typical of amulti-user “mainframe” computer system. Typically, in such a case theactual number of attached devices is greater than those shown in FIG. 1,although the present invention is not limited to systems of anyparticular size. The computer system 100 may alternatively be asingle-user system, typically containing only a single user display andkeyboard input, or might be a server or similar device which has littleor no direct user interface, but receives requests from other computersystems (clients). In other embodiments, the computer system 100 may beimplemented as a personal computer, portable computer, laptop ornotebook computer, PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), tablet computer,pocket computer, telephone, pager, automobile, teleconferencing system,appliance, or any other appropriate type of electronic device.

The network 130 may be any suitable network or combination of networksand may support any appropriate protocol suitable for communication ofdata and/or code to/from the computer system 100. In variousembodiments, the network 130 may represent a storage device or acombination of storage devices, either connected directly or indirectlyto the computer system 100. In an embodiment, the network 130 maysupport Infiniband. In another embodiment, the network 130 may supportwireless communications. In another embodiment, the network 130 maysupport hard-wired communications, such as a telephone line or cable. Inanother embodiment, the network 130 may support the Ethernet IEEE(Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 802.3xspecification. In another embodiment, the network 130 may be theInternet and may support IP (Internet Protocol).

In another embodiment, the network 130 may be a local area network (LAN)or a wide area network (WAN). In another embodiment, the network 130 maybe a hotspot service provider network. In another embodiment, thenetwork 130 may be an intranet. In another embodiment, the network 130may be a GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) network. In anotherembodiment, the network 130 may be a FRS (Family Radio Service) network.In another embodiment, the network 130 may be any appropriate cellulardata network or cell-based radio network technology. In anotherembodiment, the network 130 may be an IEEE 802.11B wireless network. Instill another embodiment, the network 130 may be any suitable network orcombination of networks. Although one network 130 is shown, in otherembodiments any number (including zero) of networks (of the same ordifferent types) may be present.

It should be understood that FIG. 1 is intended to depict therepresentative major components of the computer system 100 and thenetwork 130 at a high level, that individual components may have greatercomplexity that represented in FIG. 1, that components other than or inaddition to those shown in FIG. 1 may be present, and that the number,type, and configuration of such components may vary. Several particularexamples of such additional complexity or additional variations aredisclosed herein; it being understood that these are by way of exampleonly and are not necessarily the only such variations.

The various software components illustrated in FIG. 1 and implementingvarious embodiments of the invention may be implemented in a number ofmanners, including using various computer software applications,routines, components, programs, objects, modules, data structures, etc.,referred to hereinafter as “computer programs,” or simply “programs.”The computer programs typically comprise one or more instructions thatare resident at various times in various memory and storage devices inthe computer system 100, and that, when read and executed by one or moreprocessors 101 in the computer system 100, cause the computer system 100to perform the steps necessary to execute steps or elements comprisingthe various aspects of an embodiment of the invention.

Moreover, while embodiments of the invention have and hereinafter willbe described in the context of fully-functioning computer systems, thevarious embodiments of the invention are capable of being distributed asa program product in a variety of forms, and the invention appliesequally regardless of the particular type of signal-bearing medium usedto actually carry out the distribution. The programs defining thefunctions of this embodiment may be delivered to the computer system 100via a variety of signal-bearing media, which include, but are notlimited to:

(1) information permanently stored on a non-rewriteable storage medium,e.g., a read-only memory device attached to or within a computer system,such as a CD-ROM, DVD-R, or DVD+R;

(2) alterable information stored on a rewriteable storage medium, e.g.,a hard disk drive (e.g., the DASD 125, 126, or 127), CD-RW, DVD-RW,DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, or diskette; or

(3) information conveyed by a communications medium, such as through acomputer or a telephone network, e.g., the network 130, includingwireless communications.

Such signal-bearing media, when carrying machine-readable instructionsthat direct the functions of the present invention, representembodiments of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention may also be delivered as part of aservice engagement with a client corporation, nonprofit organization,government entity, internal organizational structure, or the like.Aspects of these embodiments may include configuring a computer systemto perform, and deploying software systems and web services thatimplement, some or all of the methods described herein. Aspects of theseembodiments may also include analyzing the client company, creatingrecommendations responsive to the analysis, generating software toimplement portions of the recommendations, integrating the software intoexisting processes and infrastructure, metering use of the methods andsystems described herein, allocating expenses to users, and billingusers for their use of these methods and systems.

In addition, various programs described hereinafter may be identifiedbased upon the application for which they are implemented in a specificembodiment of the invention. But, any particular program nomenclaturethat follows is used merely for convenience, and thus embodiments of theinvention should not be limited to use solely in any specificapplication identified and/or implied by such nomenclature.

The exemplary environments illustrated in FIG. 1 are not intended tolimit the present invention. Indeed, other alternative hardware and/orsoftware environments may be used without departing from the scope ofthe invention.

FIG. 2 depicts a block diagram of an example data structure for theelement data 171, according to an embodiment of the invention. Theelement data 171 includes records 205 and 210, but in other embodimentsany number of records with any appropriate data may be present. Each ofthe records 205 and 210 includes an element field 215, a number oftestcases previously generated 220, and a goal number of testcases 225.The element field 215 identifies types of testcases to generate. Typesof testcases include commands, valid or invalid ranges and/or values forvarious parameters, or any other stimuli that need to be varied/changedin order to test the design of the device under test 170.

The number of testcases previously generated field 220 indicates thenumber of testcases already generated for the type identified in theassociated element field 215 of the same record. The goal number oftestcases field 225 indicates the goal number of testcases to generatefor the associated element field 215 of the same record. Although FIG. 2illustrates both of the goal number of testcases 225 in the record 205and 210 as being identical, in other embodiments some or all of the goalnumber of testcases 225 may be different.

FIG. 3 depicts a flowchart of example processing for generatingtestcases directed to the device under test 170 via the testcasegenerator 172 using the element data 171, according to an embodiment ofthe invention. Control begins at block 300. Control then continues toblock 305 where the testcase generator 172 receives a list of elementsand a goal number of testcases for each of the elements. In variousembodiments, the testcase generator 172 may receive the list of elementsand the goal number of testcases from, e.g., one of the terminals 121,122, 123, 124, via the network 130, or via an unillustrated program inthe memory 102. The testcase generator 172 creates a new record for eachof the received elements in the element data 171 and stores the elementsin the element field 215 of the respective records, e.g., the records205 and 210, as previously described above with reference to FIG. 2. Thetestcase generator 172 further stores the received goal number oftestcases in the respective goal number of testcases fields 225 in thecreated records. The testcase generator 172 further initializes thenumber of testcases previously generated fields 220 in each of thecreated records to zero since no testcases have yet been generated.

Control then continues to block 310 where the testcase generator 172determines whether the number of testcases previously generated for allthe elements are equal distance from their goals. The testcase generator172 makes the determination at block 310 by examining the differencebetween the number of testcases previously generated 220 and the goalnumber of testcases 225 for each of the records in the element data 171and then comparing all of the differences for the records.

If the determination at block 310 is true, then the number of testcasespreviously generated 220 for all the elements 215 are an equal distancefrom their goals 225, so control continues to block 315 where thetestcase generator 172 randomly chooses one of the elements from thereceived list (one of the elements 215 in one of the records in theelement data 171). In an embodiment, the testcase generator 172 uses apseudo-random number generator to randomly choose one of the elements215. Control then continues to block 320 where the testcase generator172 generates a testcase for the chosen element 215 for the purpose oftesting the device under test 170. The testcase generator 172 furtherincrements the number of testcases previously generated 220 for therecord in the element data 171 associated with the chosen element 215.

Control then continues to block 325 where the testcase generator 172determines whether the total number of testcases generated for allelements (the sum of all fields 220 in all records in the element data171) is less than the total goal number of testcases (the sum of all thefields 225 in all records in the element data 171). If the determinationat block 325 is true, then the total number of testcases generated forall elements 215 is less than the total goal number of testcases andmore testcases are needed, so control returns to block 310, aspreviously described above.

If the determination at block 325 is false, then the total number oftestcases generated for all elements 215 is not less than the total goalnumber of testcases and more testcases are not needed, so controlreturns to block 399 where the logic of FIG. 3 returns.

If the determination at bock 310 is false, then the number of testcasespreviously generated for all the elements 215 are not an equal distancefrom their respective goals 225, so control continues to block 330 wherethe testcase generator 172 chooses a record in the element data 171having an element 215 whose number of previously generated testcases 220is furthest from its goal number of testcases 225 when compared to theother records in the element data 171. Control then continues to block320, as previously described above.

In the previous detailed description of exemplary embodiments of theinvention, reference was made to the accompanying drawings (where likenumbers represent like elements), which form a part hereof, and in whichis shown by way of illustration specific exemplary embodiments in whichthe invention may be practiced. These embodiments were described insufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice theinvention, but other embodiments may be utilized and logical,mechanical, electrical, and other changes may be made without departingfrom the scope of the present invention. Different instances of the word“embodiment” as used within this specification do not necessarily referto the same embodiment, but they may. The previous detailed descriptionis, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of thepresent invention is defined only by the appended claims.

In the previous description, numerous specific details were set forth toprovide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. But,the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In otherinstances, well-known circuits, structures, and techniques have not beenshown in detail in order not to obscure the invention.

1. A method comprising: receiving a plurality of elements and aplurality of respective goals for each of the elements; generating aplurality of testcases based on the plurality of elements, wherein eachof the plurality of elements has an associated number of the testcasesless than their respective goal; determining whether the numbers oftestcases are equally distant from their respective goals; and if thedetermining is true, choosing a first element of the plurality ofelements at random and generating a new testcase based on the firstelement.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: if thedetermining is false, choosing a second element of the plurality ofelements whose number of the testcases is furthest from its respectivegoal and generating the new testcase based on the second element.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: if the determining is true,incrementing the number of testcases associated with the first elementand repeating the determining.
 4. The method of claim 2, furthercomprising: if the determining is false, incrementing the number oftestcases associated with the second element and repeating thedetermining.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elementscomprise a plurality of parameter values for a device to be tested. 6.The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elements comprise aplurality of commands for a device to be tested.
 7. The method of claim1, wherein the plurality of elements comprise a plurality of commandsand a plurality of parameter values for a device to be tested.
 8. Asignal-bearing medium encoded with instructions, wherein theinstructions when executed comprise: receiving a plurality of elementsand a plurality of respective goals for each of the elements; generatinga plurality of testcases based on the plurality of elements, whereineach of the plurality of elements has a number of the testcases lessthan their respective goal; determining whether the numbers of testcasesare equally distant from their respective goals; and choosing a firstelement of the plurality of elements at random and generating a newtestcase based on the first element if the determining is true.
 9. Thesignal-bearing medium of claim 8, further comprising: choosing a secondelement of the plurality of elements whose number of the testcases isfurthest from its respective goal and generating the new testcase basedon the second element if the determining is false.
 10. Thesignal-bearing medium of claim 8, further comprising: incrementing thenumber of testcases associated with the first element and repeating thedetermining if the determining is true.
 11. The signal-bearing medium ofclaim 9, further comprising: incrementing the number of testcasesassociated with the second element and repeating the determining if thedetermining is false.
 12. The signal-bearing medium of claim 8, whereinthe plurality of elements comprise a plurality of parameter values for adevice to be tested.
 13. The signal-bearing medium of claim 8, whereinthe plurality of elements comprise a plurality of commands for a deviceto be tested.
 14. The signal-bearing medium of claim 8, wherein theplurality of elements comprise a plurality of commands and a pluralityof parameter values for a device to be tested.
 15. A method forconfiguring a computer, comprising: configuring the computer to receivea plurality of elements and a plurality of respective goals for each ofthe elements; configuring the computer to generate a plurality oftestcases based on the plurality of elements, wherein each of theplurality of elements has a number of the testcases less than theirrespective goal; configuring the computer to determine whether thenumbers of testcases are equally distant from their respective goals;and configuring the computer to choose a first element of the pluralityof elements at random and generate a new testcase based on the firstelement if the determining is true.
 16. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising: configuring the computer to choose a second element of theplurality of elements whose number of the testcases is furthest from itsrespective goal and generate the new testcase based on the secondelement if the determining is false.
 17. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising: configuring the computer to increment the number oftestcases associated with the first element and repeat the determiningif the determining is true.
 18. The method of claim 15, furthercomprising: configuring the computer to increment the number oftestcases associated with the second element and repeat the determiningif the determining is false.
 19. The method of claim 15, wherein theplurality of elements comprise a plurality of parameter values for adevice to be tested.
 20. The method of claim 15, wherein the pluralityof elements comprise a plurality of commands for a device to be tested.